Angular head flashlight casing, including a readily attachable lamp contact means



Patented June 3, 1952 ANGULAR HEAD FLASHLIGHT CASING, IN-

CLUDIN G A READILY ATTACHABLE LAMP CONTACT MEANS Joseph A. Gits, Chicago, Ill., assignor of one-half to Jules P. Gits, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,737

6 Claims.

1 This inventionrelates to flashlights and more particularly to flashlight casings having heads extendingangularly from the barrel and to contact structure therefor.

Flashlights usually comprise a barrel adapted to contain a source of energy, such as a battery,

and a head adapted to contain a bulb and reector assembly. When the head is angularly formed with respect to the barrel, a bridging member is provided at the juncture of the parts to form an abutment for the batteries and also to form a support for a resilient contact completing an electrical circuit from the Vbatteries Vto the flashlight bulb. VvThe resilient contact is usually attached to the bridging member by means of a rivet extending through the contact member and the bridging member, the riveting being done of course after the flashlight casing is formed. In these instances the rivet also forms the contact on'the opposite side of the partition against which the batteries abutted.

To complete these flashlight casings, too capable of holding the resilient contact and the rivet in place, together With means for riveting, which operated through'the angular head as well as through the barrel, had to be provided. Such a manufacturing step is diflicult to carryV out as well as expensive. Riveting-over one end of the rivet requires a considerable force to be exerted which sometimes causes the bridging member to be split. But the inconvenient location of the partition between the angular head and the barrel makes it diicult always to assure that the rivet is properly set before the tools are operated with the result that the contact member'is quite often riveted upon the partition in a tilted or canted position. The operation is dicult, and, even with the care of a skillful workman, rejects will exist. The operation is moreover slow and has been found to be quite costly.

It,` is an object of the invention to provide an improved type of contact structure which eliminates the necessity of the riveting operation heretofore used and provides a novel form of attachment completely eliminating the difficulties experienced when the'riveting operation is employed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a contact structure that may be applied to the ashlight casing without splitting the bridging or partition member or a mounting of the contact member in a tilted or canted position.

YIn carrying out the invention in one form, a flashlight is provided comprising a barrel adapted to contain a source of energy, and an angular CFI (Cl. 2MP-10.67)

head extending from the barrel adapted to contain a bulb and reector. A bridging member is arranged between the head and the barrel, and a resilient contact member is supported on the bridging member for contacting the bulb, the contact member including a reversely bent portion that is so formed that mounting of the contact member may be accomplished by merely sliding the same in embracing relation upon the bridging member at one edge and eect an vinter-- locking engagement holding the contact member tightly in erect position to complete the circuit from one to the other side of the bridging member.

For a more complete understanding of the `invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.' 1 is a sectional elevational View of a flashlight casing embodying the invention; v

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along lines 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken subtantially along lines 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view on a larger scale of a flashlight contact member embodied in the invention; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view cna reduced scale of the flashlight casing shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown embodied in a ashlight including a barrel I0 and a head I I extending at right angles thereto. the 'barrel being of a sufficient diameter and length to receive one or more flashlight batteries I2 (shown in dot-and-dash lines). At theouter end of barrel I0 a circumferential Ilange I3 is provided against Ywhich a closing cap I4 abuts through a sealing gasket I5,.the cap I4 and the portion of the barrel beyond flange I3 being threadable toeach other. Cap I4 is hollow inside and includes a portion I 6 of decreased diam'- eter, thereby forming an internal shoulder II against which the base of the spiral contact spring I8 abuts. Within portion I6 a U-shaped bracket I9 yis received, the bracket including a pair of spring arms 2| for holding a spare bulb The angular head II may be of any desired shapefbut preferably is semi-cylindrical in its over-all contour, and includes a threaded portion` 23 extending outwardly from barrel III. Within head I I and its portion 23, a bulb 24 and a reflector 25 in a unitary assembly are held by means of a cap 26 having threads corresponding to those of portion 23. A flange member 2l on cap 26 overlies the periphery of a lens 28, the

lens bearing against a gasket 29 on one side of the reector rim, which in turn bears against a gasket 3| on the other side of the reflector rim to force gasket 3| against the outward edge of portion 23. By screwing cap tightly onto portion 23, the gaskets 29 and 3l are su'iciently compressed to provide a watertight seal at this point in the flashlight casing.

The reflector 25 may be formed of any metal, such as brass, for example, which has been suitably plated with nickel or chromium, for example, to provide an internal reecting surface, and has a threaded ferrule 32 projecting rearwardly therefrom, the ferrule including an internal shoulder 'against which a rim 33 attached to the bulb 24 may bear. A hollow plug 34 is threaded into ferrule 32 to bear against rim 33 for holding bulb 24 in its proper position in the reector and to permit the contact 35 on the bulb to project outwardly from the rear thereof.

Internally of barrel I6 and head II are a pair of .ribs v36 defining a channel between them, within which channel contact strips 31 and 38 may lie. The ribs '36 extend away from the inside surface vof the barrel a sufcient distance so that the channel has enough depth for contact strips 31 'and A38 'at all times to be out of contact with the -outersurface of the ashlight batteries. The rear contact strip 38 is held to vthe casing at its forward end by means of a rivet 39, and to the casing at `its rearward end by a rivet 4I which also connects the contact strip to an annular ring 42 having an outwardly bent flange 43. When cap I4 is Yscrewed onto the flashlight barrel, the internal shoulder I1 causes the base of spring I8 to contact the flange 43.

The forward contact strip 31 is attached at its rearward end to barrel I6 by means of a rivet 44, Vand includes Van angularly-bent portion 45 extending into head I I and outwardly toward the cap 26, the `portion 45 being adapted 'to contact the outer surface of reflector 25. Resilient por,- tion '45 is formed to be spaced away from the wall of portion 23 so that when the reflector I5, which preferably is arcuate in form, is placed into portion 23, the resilient member 45 is caused to'b'e bent outwardly, thereby Avrubbing against the surface of the reflector and producing good contact therewith. AIn order to hold resilient member 46 in Aits proper position while it is being bent outwardly Iby the reflector, the lower of the ribs 36 is provided with an upwardly extending projection 46 which prevents contact strip 31 from moving out of the channel Vformed bythe ribs 36.

Contactfstrips 31 .and 38 form part of the electrical circuit Within the flashlight casing, and have their adjacent ends spaced apart from each other so as to provide an incomplete circuit. Externally of barrel I6 there 'is aswitch housing 41 attached thereto by means of suitable rivets, and including a thumbpiece 48 which is movable to one or more positions along casing 41. Also arranged in casing 41 is a depressible button 49. The rivet '44 at the rear end .of contact strip 31 and the rivet 5I at the forward end of rear contact :strip 38 project into the inside of casing 41 and are adapted to complete a circuit between contact strips 31 and 38 through proper manipulation of the thumbpiece 48 and push button 49, 'as is well understood in this art. lOne form of contact structure is described in the 'copending application Serial N0, 518,942, `filed J anuary 20, 1944, entitled Flashlight, to Joseph A. Gits and Jules P. Gits, which application Iissued vOctober 1, -1946as Patent No. 2.408.393.

Spaced between angular head II and barrel I3, and integrally formed therewith, is a transverse bridging member 52 forming an abutment for the forward end of batteries I2 and forming a support for a resilient contact structure 58. At the lower end of the bridging member, reinforcing wingsk 53 extend from each side thereof and join the bridging member to the walls of head II. Similarly, at the upper end thereof there are a pair of wings 54 joining the bridging member to and forming part of the inner walls of head I I. The adjacent edges of reinforcing members 53 and 54 are spaced apart, as is seen best in Fig. 1, thereby forming a space through which the contact strip 31 passes. On the side of bridging member 52 facing the inside of barrel I substantially centrally thereof, there is a depression 55, and on the other side thereof there are a pair of ribs 56 projecting into head I I and spaced apart to effect a channel or guide. At the end of the bridgingmember adjacent the junction of portion 23 with barrel I9, there is an opening 51 of approximately the same width as the space between ribs 56.

The resilient contact structure 58 completes an electrical circuit between batteries I2 within barrel I6 and the contact point 35 of bulb 24. Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, contact structure 58 comprises a pair of members 59 and 6I lying alongside and spaced from each other, and extending from portion 6I is a curved portion 62 terminating in a relatively at end 63. The contact structure may be formed from a single blank of flat strip material, and portions 59 and 6I are bent so that portion 59 tends -to spring toward the normal free position (shown dotted), and the curved portion 62 causes the flat end 63 to be Vresilient or springy relative to portion 6I. Approaching the outer end of portion 59 there iss a protuberance 64 `projecting 4toward portion Contact structure 53 is attached to the casing by slipping the portions 59 and 6I over the bridging member 52, with `portion 59 being forced outwardly and lying on the barrel side of .the bridging member and with protuberance .64 being .received within depression 55 (Fig. 1`). The connecting metallic portion between portions 59 and 6I lies within the opening 51, which `opening also permits the contact structure to 'be slipped onto the bridging member. vIn the attaching process, the portions 59 and 6I are forced apart, `and `due to their relative .resilience these two members lie tightly against the respective sides of the bridging member, thereby -bringing the flat Aend 63 into position to contact 4the 'portion '35 -of the bulb 24, as may be seen best in Fig. l. The curved portion 62 causes the Vfiat end 63 to Ybe resiliently vexerted against contact 35. The ribs 56 are spaced `apart just a sufficient distance to easily receive the portion .61| of vthe contact structure between them, and thereby `,prevent rotation thereof during the vuse of :the flashlight. 'The protuberance 64 being received within depression 55 preventsremoval of .the contactstructure unless it is desired to do so, at which 'instant this may be accomplished by exerting considerable force against the end .63 and thecurvedportion 62, such as lby inserting ones fnger `into 'the head "II. The relative lengths ofv portions 59 and tI forma long bearing surface, so .that Athe force exerted 'bycontact 35 against .flat Yportion 63 does not cause the #contact to become loose, the portion 59'being adapted .torcontact Atheforward end of batteries within barrel I0.

j. When the flashlight is completely assembled. asshown in Fig. 1, and the push button 49 and the thumbpiece 48 are manipulated as described in the aforementioned patent application, a complete circuit to bulb 24 is provided through contact 35, contact structure 58, the batteries in the flashlight housing, spring I8, annular ring 42, Contact strip 38, the switch members in the housing 41. contact'strip 31, the resilient member thereof 45, and through the reector 25 tothe rim 33 of the bulb'.

It is preferred that the flashlight, including the casing I0, the head I I, and the bridging member 52, together with its reinforcing members, be formed by molding, say by the injection method, in which all of the various parts are formed integrally With each other. The exterior of barrel I and ofV cap Illk may be provided with ribs 65 and 66. as shown best in Fig. 5, whereby good gripping of these members may be had. Attached to the rear portion of head I I by rivets, as shown, is a spring hanger 61. l

With the contact structure 58 as described, the flashlight casing proper may iirst be completely formed and the contact structure thereafter manually applied thereto by a simple manual operation, thereby preventingl any damage to the bridging member 52 as well as preventing improper positioning of contact structure 58 arising out of the manufacturing process. f

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my'invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readilyadapt the same for use under varying conditions of service without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A flashlight casing comprising a hollow barrel, a hollow head mounted on one end of said barrel and having an angularly disposed open end portion, an end closure mounted on the other end of said barrel, an apertured bridging member transversely mounted within said barrel at substantially the juncture of said barrel and head and forming an energizing source receiving compartment within said barrel and a bulb-reilector receiving compartment within said head, said barrel, head, and bridging member being of an insulating material, the aperture in said bridging member being aligned with and adjacent to the` open end portion of said head, and a removable contact piece of conducting material comprising a resilient U-shaped portion having a base and two legs and a resilient bulb contacting portion extending from one of said legs, said base being disposed in said aperture and said legs being tensioned to resiliently engage said bridging member, said bulb contacting portion being disposed within said bulb-reflector-receiving compartment and the other of said legs being disposed in the energizing source-receiving compartment to form an energizing source contact member.

2. A flashlight casing comprising a hollow barrel, a hollow head mounted on said barrel and having an angularly disposed open end portion, an apertured bridging member transversely mounted within said barrel at substantially the juncture of said barrel and head and forming an energizing source receiving compartment within said barrel and a bulb-reflector receiving compartment within said head, said barrel, head, and

bridging memberr being of an insulating material, the aperture in said bridging member being adjacent .to and aligned with the open end portion of said head, and a removable U-shaped bridging member-straddling conducting contact piece having a base portion disposed in said aperture and a leg member disposed on each side of said bridging member and depending fromv said base portion, the iirst of said leg members comprising an energizing source-engaging section inserted through said aperture and resiliently engaging the side of. said bridging member. adjacent said energizing source receiving compartment and the second of said leg members having a first portion resilientlyvengaging the side of said bridging member adjacent said bulb-,reiiectory receiving compartment and a bulb-contacting portion'angularly disposed with `respect to said first portion.

31A flashlight casing comprising a hollow barrel, a hollow head mounted on said barrel and having an angularly disposed open end portion, an apertured bridging member transversely mounted Within said barrel at substantially the juncture of said barrel and head and forming an energizing source `receiving -compartment withinfsaid barrel and a bulb-reflector receivingv compartment within said head, the aperture in said bridging member being adjacent' to land aligned with the open end portion of said head, and a resilient removable conducting contact piece having a base portion disposed in said aperture and a leg member disposed on each side of said bridging'member and depending from said base portion, said leg membersembrac'eably engaging said bridging member, the first of said leg members comprising an energizing source engaging leg section inserted through said aperture and slidably engaging the side of said bridging member adjacent said energizing source receiving compartment and the second of said leg members slidably engaging the side of said bridging member adjacent said bulb-reilector receiving compartment and terminating in a bulbengaging contact.

4. A flashlight casing comprising a hollow barrel, a hollow head mounted on said barrel and having an angularly disposed open end portion, an apertured bridging member transversely mounted Within said barrel at substantially the juncture of said barrel and head and forming an energizing source receiving compartment within said barrel and a bulb-reflector receiving compartment within said head, said barrel, head, and bridging member of an insulating material, the aperture in said member being adjacent to and aligned with the open end portion of said head, a resilient removable conducting contact piece having a base portion disposed in said aperture and a leg member disposed on each side of said bridging member and depending from said base portion, said leg member engaging said bridging member, and a contact piece-engaging guide means mounted on said bridging member; the iirst of said leg sections comprising an energizing source engaging leg section inserted through said aperture and slidably engaging the side of said bridging member adjacent said energizing source receiving compartment and the second of said leg sections retained in said guide means and slidably engaging the side of said bridging member adjacent said bulb-reflector receiving compartment and terminating in a resilient bulb-engaging contact.

:5.A1iashlight casing comprising a .hollow bai"- rel, a hollow head mounted .on said barrel and having an angularly disposed open end portion, an apertured bridging member transversely mounted .said barrel at substantially the juncture lof :said barrel and head .and forming an energizing source receiving compartment Within said 'barre1 and a bulb-redector receiving compartment within said head, .said bridging member having the -side thereof adjacent .said energizing source receiving compartment Vpro-` vided with :a recessed portion, and .a removable contact piece having 'a base portion disposed in said aperture and a .leg .member .disposed `on each side of said bridging Amember .and depending from said base portion, said leg members resiliently embracing said :bridging zmember; the .first of said leg members ycomprising an venergizing source engaging leg section inserted through `said aperture and slida'bly engaging the :side of said bridging member adjacent said energizing source .receiving compartment, .said rleg section `having an offsetportion seated in said .recessed portion, and the second of said leg members angularly ldis-- posed and integrally connected to said first leg section by said `base and slidably engaging the side of said bridging member adjacent said bulb reflector lreceiving compartment, said second vleg member hav-ing aprotruding bulb-contacting portion disposed within said bulb-reflector receiving compartment.

6. VA dashlight casing comprising a hollow bar rel, a hollow head mounted on said barrel and having an angularly disposed open end portion, an apertured bridging member transversely mounted Within said barrel at substantially the juncture .of said lbarrel and head and forming an energizing source receiving compartment Within `said .barrel and a bulb-reflector receiving compartment within wsaid head, a lremovable contact piece having .a baseportion disposed in saidapexture :and .a Aleg member vdisposed on cach side o! said "bridging member depending from said base portion :and resiliently embracing vsaid bridging member, :and lcontact .piece engaging .ridges mounted on one rside of said :bridging member; the rst of said leg members comprising an energizing .source engaging :leg section inserted through said aperture and .siidably engaging the side `of :sa-id .bridging member adjacent said ener gizing source .receiving compartment and the second .of said leg members having a ridge-engaging leg section. integrally connected to said rst leg section and angularly disposed with respect thereto and having a resilient `offset bulbcontacting portion extending into said bulb-redoctor recei-Vingcompartment.

. JOSEPH A` GITS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenceszare of vrecord in the le of patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,168,351 Wakefield awww--- Jan. 18, 1916 1,770,902 Fullmer Juf1y`22, 1930 2,249,692 Gelardin July 15., 1941 2,358,820 Muidoon Sept. 26. 194i` '2,385,639 Packer et a1. Sept. 25, 1945 2,408,393 Gts et al. 1 Oct. l, 1943 .2,408,643 Hoy Oct. 1, 194B 

